Vic Manuel left frustrated by knee pain as Aces go down 0-2 in PBA Finals

MANILA, Philippines—Hobbled and in pain, Vic Manuel won’t let anything stop him from helping Alaska get its first win against Magnolia in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals.

But the power forward’s injury hasn’t helped the Aces’ cause as they lost for a second straight, 77-71, in Game 2 to for a 0-2 hole in the best-of-seven series.

Manuel said he is suffering from iliotibial band syndrome in his right knee that is bringing him a stinging sensation whenever he moves.

“It’s tightening up and I felt the pain earlier so I asked to be subbed out in the fourth quarter,” said Manuel in Filipino Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I’m just disappointed that I’m not at a hundred percent, but of course I’ll still do everything I can next game.”

There were stretches in the fourth quarter that Jake Pascual and Carl Bryan Cruz played the four spot but there wasn’t anything Alaska could do in that stretch.

The Aces went 2-for-20 in the fourth quarter in one of the worse 10-minute stretches the PBA has seen this season.

Still, Manuel isn’t losing hope that they can turn things around even if this 2-0 hole looks deeper by the minute.

“I’m ready to play in Game 3. We haven’t lost hope and coach [Alex Compton] told us that this is a seven-game series and there’s still a long way to go,” said Manuel who had 10 points and five rebounds.

“We just want to win one game and that can, hopefully, help us get some momentum.”